OSHAWA, Ont. - The Durham Lords secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over the Fleming Phoenix. The win improves Durham's record to 9-6 in the OCAA season, with the team demonstrating resilience and composure throughout the match.

Durham's offensive effort was led by Cory Pharand, who registered eight kills on 22 attempts, hitting an efficient .318 while contributing three blocks and two digs. 

Trent Engel was a major factor in the Lords' success, tallying seven kills on eight attempts without committing an error, achieving a remarkable .875 hitting percentage. Engel also added three service aces, making crucial contributions from the service line. Ryan McGilvray provided consistent attacking with seven kills, while William Egan added six kills on 12 attempts, hitting .417 and delivering two aces in key moments.

The Lords' setters, Kyle Travis and Jayden Benjamin, orchestrated the offence with precision. Travis dished out 21 assists while adding a kill and a service ace. Benjamin also played a critical role, contributing 19 assists and eight digs, helping the Lords maintain their rhythm and offensive balance throughout the match.

On the defensive end, Durham recorded 47 digs as a team, with Piet Kuypers and Benjamin leading the way with eight digs each. Kuypers also added seven kills and three blocks, playing a vital role at the net. 

Jacob Simpson contributed six digs, ensuring solid coverage in the backcourt.

Durham's serving pressure was evident, as they recorded nine aces, with Engel and Egan leading the charge.

The Lords' blocking presence played a significant role in slowing down Fleming's attack, with the team registering nine total blocks. Pharand and Kuypers were instrumental in shutting down the Phoenix's offence with timely blocks that helped swing momentum in Durham's favour.

Despite dropping the second set, Durham responded with a dominant third set performance, hitting .367 with 15 kills and just four errors. In the fourth set, the Lords showed their poise, overcoming a late push from Fleming to clinch the victory with a narrow 25-23 win.

The Lords have three matches remaining on their regular season schedule, with their next one coming on Saturday, January 25 against the Loyalist Lancers in Belleville at 3:00 PM.

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